Project Spotlight

PTMOF is a program based in Uganda aimed at providing a solid foundation for teenage mothers so that they can provide for their children, reach their own goals and reintegrate back into their families and communities. Part of the program is providing vocational work training and the kitchen allows the women to get the training they need, provide their customers with a permeant business address and allows the women to have a meal at the centre. PTMOF is in the midst of renovating their kitchen in order to meet with the standards set by the Ministry of Health, it will also allow them to increase their production. The kitchen allows the mothers to become job creators not job seekers.

Solome Nanvule, the project leader, says that “The most challenging part about the kitchen renovations has been financial contribution, due to shorted of finances the kitchen has been closed for over 8 months, this affected the baking class and some of the mothers did not get a chance to complete their class.” While the main part of the kitchen is largely complete PTMOF is still looking to raise $3000 CND to complete the interior such as industrial oven, fridge and hand wash station. Solome Nanvule would also like to pass on her sincere thank you to David Healy, Tina Healey and all our donors who do not wish to be mentioned for supporting us to raise funds to upgrade our Kitchen.

Grassroots Development – A Year In Review

Grassroots development is one of DevXchange’s newer project and our first in South Africa. The project helps keep children off the street by providing free boxing lessons, help with school work and nutrition. Over the past year the project has secured the use of a classroom to conduct their tutoring in which helped them launch their first Saturday class on February 22nd 2014. Attendance has grown immensely, from an initial 16 students to 50-60 scholars weekly. To tutor these children they have enlisted the help of 15 volunteers and collaborated with Ikamva Youth, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising children’s grades. They have also used part of their funding to hirer two part time employees to help run the Saturday tutoring class. In addition they have been granted sponsorship from MAX Mouthguard so that they can continue their boxing lessons.

In the future they wish to raise funds to hirer a full time employee to help with day to day operations and to seek further funding. The also want to secure land of their own so that they can build their own boxing studio and classroom and stop renting. Lastly they want to initiate a scholarship fund that would allow their most promising students to attend university or collage.